


west to east

by spideywhiteys



Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [45]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Gen, hinted genrai, mermaid au, saiken is still a giant slug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:00:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29451930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spideywhiteys/pseuds/spideywhiteys
Summary: Genma just wants to watch the sunrise.
Relationships: Shiranui Genma & Saiken
Series: 365 Days of Naruto AUs [45]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2086938
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	west to east

**Author's Note:**

> Day 45: Mermaid AU / Genma + Saiken

The sun always sinks in the west, slipping under the endless horizon of seawater yet never touching the waves. It spills gold and fire across the surface, drags the stars from the east. Genma likes to swim up to the jagged rocks that lunge from the depths and reach into open air, likes to pull his body from cerulean waters and lounge on one of the few pieces of salt encrusted earth in the area. He has heard tales of the shore — of a place where the ocean truly ends and a new world begins, one full of greenery that reaches for the skies and a pervading dryness that is unsuitable for his aquatic species. 

Perhaps one day he’ll see it, if he can convince Raidou to go along with him. They could travel alone, just the two of them, draping ornaments over their tails to bring home. Bright colors to provide contrast to Raidou’s near-black tail. Warm, sandy colors to balance out the green gradients of Genma’s own.

Though at the current moment, he’s rather glad he didn’t convince Raidou to come to the surface with him this morning.

Blocking the path to the rocky spires is a creature that Genma has never laid eyes on before, and he’s seen many different species under the waves. It’s left a scouring path in the sandy floor, trudging along the way sea slugs do — and it does rather look like one, just massive and bulbous to the point where it inspires terror rather than a brief glance. 

Genma is by no means the smallest of his species, but he doesn’t hold a candle to the behemoth. He’s maybe the size of the thing’s eyestalk — or at least he thinks they’re eyestalks. They might be antennas instead, because he doesn’t see any eyeballs. Which makes it all the more unsettling when they swivel his way.

“Who’re you?” The creature speaks and their voice is high and grating to the ears. The tone isn’t particularly friendly, but it’s not overtly threatening either. Viscous bubbles somehow ooze from its body under the water, crystallized in appearance, like perfectly round mother-of-pearls.

After the initial shock of hearing the gigantic creature speak the same language — or speak at all, Genma replies. “Ah, Shiranui Genma.”

“I am Saiken.” The massive slug sniffs rather self-importantly. “Are you one of those mermaids? My brother often speaks of your kind! How many are you? Do you all look the same? Are you a male or female — or something else? Can you breath above the waves?”

“Uh,” Genma blinks, relaxing minutely. It doesn’t seem like Saiken is going to attack him, but he’s nothing if not wary. He’s not lasted as a hunter this long without learning a few things about being cautious. Anything new is always regarded as unpredictable. Genma isn’t the smartest in his village and doesn’t claim to be, but he can read body language the way others read carvings. “I  _ am _ a mermaid...and I’m a male. We’re all rather varied in appearance.”

If Saiken notices that Genma is skimping out on half the questions, they don’t mention it. “Well what are you doing out here alone? You’re not lost are you?”

“The sun’s coming up.” He says rather stupidly.

“Oh,” The creature responds, tone brightening. “You want to see the sunrise? Why didn’t you say so!”

Which is how Genma finds himself watching the sun come up in the east with a giant slug named Saiken, the burgeoning morning turning the sky and ocean into mirror images of pinks and violets and eventually blues.

Raidou is never gonna believe this.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow / Support me on [Tumblr!](https://spideyfoof.tumblr.com/)


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